Lock Mamba

The ACC announced Wednesday that the conference will return to an 18-game conference schedule for the 2025–26 season, ending a six-year run with a 20-game slate.

This change follows one of the ACC’s most disappointing seasons in recent memory and marks the fourth consecutive year in which only four teams from the league earned NCAA Tournament bids. The conference has faced criticism in recent seasons, and it’s clear that adjustments are needed.

According to KenPom, the ACC hasn’t ranked among the nation’s top four conferences since the 2019–20 season. In 2022–23, the ACC even ranked below the Mountain West in KenPom’s metrics.

By reducing the number of conference games, top programs like Duke, Louisville, Clemson, and North Carolina will have more flexibility to schedule high-quality non-conference opponents, potentially boosting their tournament resume. One of the ACC’s major issues has been a lack of Quadrant 1 opportunities for its top teams.

For example, Clemson recorded five Quad 1 wins last season, which was tied with Gonzaga and one more than Saint Mary’s. However, the ACC didn’t help itself in non-conference play last season, winning just one game TOTAL in the ACC/SEC Challenge.

Still, the root of the ACC’s struggles lies deeper than scheduling. The conference has undergone a significant coaching turnover in recent years. Legendary coaches such as Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jim Boeheim, Tony Bennett, and Mike Brey have all stepped down. Aside from Duke, their programs have yet to fully recover.

The ACC’s national standing depends heavily on its traditional powerhouses like North Carolina and Syracuse being consistent NCAA Tournament contenders. Going forward, coaching hires will be critical in restoring the league’s prominence. Moves like bringing Will Wade to NC State and Pat Kelsey to Louisville may prove to be transformative examples – other programs need to follow.